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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26944555">Down the Hatch</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondsak/pseuds/blondsak'>blondsak</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallylaterightnow/pseuds/itsreallylaterightnow'>itsreallylaterightnow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(and a heart condition! stop scaring him all the time Peter!), Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Peter Parker, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Poisoning, Protective Peter Parker, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Whump, Worried Tony Stark, combining Marvel comics and video games with MCU because of who we are as people</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:28:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,349</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26944555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondsak/pseuds/blondsak, https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallylaterightnow/pseuds/itsreallylaterightnow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter realizes three things in quick succession:</p>
<p>Number one, if he’s right, he’s really screwed. </p>
<p>Number two, if he’s wrong, he’s still really screwed but for a whole other list of reasons.</p>
<p>Number three, he probably should have smashed the glass, or poured out the liquid, or done literally <i>anything</i> else but drink it. But spider-sense didn't equal common sense, and now it was too late.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>377</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephemeralstark/gifts">ephemeralstark</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy birthday Ellie!! We hope you enjoy this fic filled with a few of your favorite things and that your day is as wonderful as you are, friend! &lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What do you think, kid?” Tony asks with a grin just as he and Peter sit down at their table. “Pretty nice for a party, eh?”</p>
<p>Peter looks around, fidgeting in his too-big suit. They’re in a gigantic ballroom, with a stage at the front upon which sits a podium. Hundreds of people mingle about in their finest tuxedos and gowns, all holding what appear to be glasses of either white wine or whiskey. Peter’s easily the youngest person there by a good decade if not more, and once again he wonders why Tony had wanted him to come as his guest to a corporate gala, of all things. He claimed it was because Pepper was away on business and he’d be bored on his own, but it’s not like there weren’t plenty of Avengers to choose from who could have tagged along instead.</p>
<p>Besides, Peter hadn’t even heard of Maggia Enterprises before tonight in the car, when Tony had explained that the gala was to celebrate the company’s rebirth after the shuttering of the original, which had been headed by the late Luchino Nefaria. SI and ME—itself a war profiteering corporation—had even partnered together over the decades. But their business relationship—not to mention Tony’s personal relationship with every family on ME’s very rich and rather shady board—had fallen apart when he announced SI was ending all weapons manufacturing back in ’08. Apparently ME didn’t appreciate Tony speaking truth to the fact that profiting off of the innocent victims of war was a terrible thing.</p>
<p>Tony didn’t go into any specifics, but Peter got the distinct impression that the final blow to the original Maggia Enterprises had more than a little bit to do with not only an attempt not just to steal SI’s leftover weapons cache shortly after Tony’s announcement, but also a plot to take out Tony himself.</p>
<p>Peter’s brought back to the present when Tony snaps his fingers in front of his nose, looking almost concerned. “Pete? You with me?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sorry, just lost in thought,” he replies, then more sheepishly. “It’s alright, I guess. I just feel, I don’t know, kinda… “</p>
<p>“Out of place?” Tony offers up, then when Peter nods, leans in with a hand shielding his mouth to whisper something. “I’ll let you in on a secret that might help. I guarantee you that nobody here—not <em> one </em>—is as smart as you are.”</p>
<p>“Not even you?” Peter asks with a smirk.</p>
<p>Tony leans back in his seat, raising an eyebrow. “I’m the exception, obviously. But you’ll get there with my mentorship, young padawan.”</p>
<p>Now it’s Peter’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “You spent all of last week’s lab time building a water gun for DUM-E’s tool collection and you couldn’t even figure out how to get him to <em> aim </em> at the target.”</p>
<p>Tony shrugs. “Your point?”</p>
<p>“Good evening, gentlemen,” a smooth voice says from mere feet away, Peter glancing up from Tony to see a woman in a long, blood-red gown standing over them, smiling almost seductively at Tony. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”</p>
<p>“Hardly,” Tony replies airily, standing up and taking the woman’s offered gloved hand in his, giving it a chaste kiss. He lets go, turning to Peter. “Peter, meet Whitney Frost, the current head of the reformed Maggia Enterprises. Whit, this is Peter Parker, one of my interns.” </p>
<p>From the way the woman’s mouth turned up in pinched disgust, Peter got the idea that she wasn’t much of a fan of Tony bringing him along.</p>
<p>“These days I go by my birth name, Giulietta Nefaria, though I suppose I can make an exception for an old, shall we say, <em> friend,” </em> Miss Frost – no, Miss Nefaria – coos at Tony. She holds her hand out to Peter, and he forces himself not to grimace in response. One of the things Peter finds he dislikes most about so many rich people is the false politeness toward those they consider beneath them, and Miss Nefaria oozes it.“Mr. Parker, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”</p>
<p>Peter stares at the offered hand—unsure if he should kiss it like Tony did. He finally settles on giving it an awkward shake, Miss Nefaria smiling politely before lowering her arm and turning back to Tony. “I am very pleased you were able to make it to our little soiree, Anthony. I know you and my father didn’t exactly end on the best of terms.”</p>
<p>“That’s one way to put it,” Tony replies lightly, but Peter doesn’t miss the slight strain to his tone. Quiet and somber, Tony adds, “I’m sorry you lost your father that night, Whit. I hope you know it was never my intention for him to die, even if he himself was rather determined to blow me and the tower to bits. If I’d had any idea he’d strapped a second back-up bomb to his suit…”</p>
<p>Miss Nefaria’s smile doesn’t waver, but her eyes hold something behind them, a one-way mirror that has Peter’s nerves set on edge. “Bygones, Anthony. I’m sure we can both agree to put it behind us, can’t we? Especially considering our <em> own </em> rather interesting past.”</p>
<p>Her easy dismissiveness has Tony looking relieved, smirking as he nods at Peter. “Now Whit, I don’t think any of those tales are appropriate for such a young, impressionable mind, do you?”</p>
<p>Peter scowls, Miss Nefaria laughing as though the joke was actually funny. Before Peter can tell his mentor off, she says to Tony, “As a token of my goodwill, I hope you’ll accept the special champagne I’ve ordered for you. It’ll be brought out just as I welcome you to partake in a toast.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Tony asks. “I hope you didn’t go too far out of your way just for me.”</p>
<p>“It’s nothing fancy, I assure you,” Miss Nefaria replies with a chuckle. “Just a Moet and Chandon Brut, though one of their better vintage blends, if you ask me.” </p>
<p>Peter can’t help but wonder what her version of <em> nothing fancy </em> is. If it’s anything like Tony’s, the bottle probably cost the equivalent of three months’ worth of May’s rent.</p>
<p>“Let it never be said you don’t have excellent taste, Whitney Frost,” Tony says.</p>
<p>“Most of the time, anyway,” Miss Nefaria replies with a flirtatious wink, though Peter senses something almost predatorial in her eyes as she gazes on at Tony. “And now for the festivities to begin. Have a good evening, you two. And Anthony? I hope you enjoy the toast.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure I will,” Tony says with another polite smile, watching Miss Nefaria saunter away in the direction of the stage only to take his seat again—Peter following suit a moment later.</p>
<p>Peter sits in awkward silence as Tony takes a sip from the water glass in front of him.</p>
<p>“Nothing peppy to say, kid? Have I finally rendered you speechless?” he says, his lips playing with a smirk as he eyes Peter before glancing up at where Miss Nefaria is talking to a waiter on the stage. “Y’know, she was quite the firecracker back when I knew her better. Seems age hasn’t dimmed those sharp edges, either.”</p>
<p>“Oh, no. We are <em> not </em> talking about anything to do with you and ‘Whit,’” Peter says, his finger quotes saying everything they need to about what he feels about the woman. Tony just lets out a belly roll of a chuckle as he gives a slight nod. </p>
<p>“Alright, alright, virgin ears, I get it,” Tony replies, Peter flushing red at his mentor's words. Just as Peter is about to retort that Tony knows nothing of his sex life, a metal spoon clinks against a glass as Miss Nefaria stands up to the podium. </p>
<p>“Good evening, esteemed guests,” she greets the audience. “Thank you for coming to celebrate what is the beginning of a new era for Maggia Enterprises. As you know, my father built this corporation from the ground up, leading the company to ever greater heights until 2008, when he passed away following a rather… <em> unfortunate </em> altercation with Iron Man.”</p>
<p>She pauses, glancing pointedly over at Tony, and although she's smiling Peter can't help but feel there’s a threat behind it—his danger sense humming uncomfortably at the back of his neck. He looks over at Tony who is staring back at Miss Nefaria, his expression carefully blank, probably for the sake of the audience who have all swiveled in their chairs to gawk at him.</p>
<p>“However,” Miss Nefaria continues, the crowd’s attention immediately returning to the front of the room, “I want everyone here to know that this is indeed a new beginning. As such, I would like to ask Tony Stark, owner of Stark Industries and the very same Iron Man, to come onstage.” Looking back at Tony, she adds, “I invite you, Anthony, to share in a special toast with me, so that together we may both greet ME’s future and say goodbye to past grudges.”</p>
<p>“It would be my honor,” Tony says congenially, standing up and looking around only for a waiter to appear at his side with a tray upon which rests a small, full champagne glass. </p>
<p>Peter watches as Tony takes it in his hand, shooting Peter a grin before making his way onstage—their table situated right next to the stairs. Miss Nefaria is quick to produce her own glass from the podium, raising it into the air as the guests and Tony follow suit with their drinks. </p>
<p>She turns to Tony, eyeing his glass before meeting his gaze and smiling. “To a new dawn for Maggia Enterprises. And to you, Anthony, without whom I never would have found the motivation to raise my father's dream from the ashes of the past.”</p>
<p>“To a new dawn,” the crowd echoes. </p>
<p>The audience tips their glasses to their mouths, and Peter glances back up to see Tony, trademark smile fixed in place, about to do the same—only for his spider-sense to flare to full alert.</p>
<p>“Stop!” he abruptly cries out—standing up so fast that his seat scrapes against the floor, letting out a horrible screech. </p>
<p>People turn to look at him, disgust etched on their faces, but Peter couldn’t care less. Because although Tony has also paused to stare at him, the glass is still hovering just inches from his lips, and Peter doesn't know why but he <em> does </em> know that’s not okay, not even a little bit.</p>
<p>Without hesitating, he marches up the stairs to the podium. He can’t quite pinpoint what his spider-sense is freaking out about, but the more he looks at the champagne in Tony’s hand, the more chills run down his spine. </p>
<p>Tony turns to Peter as he comes to a halt next to him, his mouth hanging open slightly in shock. “Kid, what the hell?” the man says under his breath, and Peter can feel Miss Nefaria staring bullets at him. </p>
<p>Before Peter can reply Tony goes to quickly down the champagne—no doubt so he can dismissively hand the empty glass off before pulling Peter into the wings without further commotion. But Peter knows he can't let that happen. No matter what, he <em> can't </em> let Tony take so much as a sip.</p>
<p>So that's when Peter does - arguably - the most stupid thing he’s done in his entire life. He grabs the glass straight from Tony and tips it all past his lips in one fluid motion. </p>
<p>Peter immediately makes a horrible face at the disgusting liquid as it sears down his throat. He doesn’t care how much it costs, the stuff still tastes like jet fuel. </p>
<p>“What the hell?” Tony repeats louder, just staring at Peter, but all Peter can do is look straight at Miss Nefaria—realizing three things in quick succession:</p>
<p>Number one, if he’s right, he’s really screwed. </p>
<p>Number two, if he’s wrong, he’s still really screwed for a whole other list of reasons.</p>
<p>Number three, he probably should have smashed the glass, or poured out the liquid, or done literally <em> anything </em> else but drink it. But spider-sense didn't equal common sense, and now it was too late.</p>
<p>For a split second, staring into the cold eyes of the woman, seeing the tiniest hint of a smirk on her face, Peter thinks he might have been wrong. </p>
<p>Then it hits him. His throat begins to tighten, and Peter's hand comes up to his mouth as he lets out a jagged cough. He looks down in dread as he sees blood in the palm of his hand. His chest and stomach suddenly feel like they’re on fire, quickly draining every ounce of energy he has.</p>
<p>Peter looks up, his eyes meeting Tony’s panicked gaze right as he begins to fall backwards, the glass slipping from his grasp and shattering as it meets the floor—Peter following right after.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Horrible choking sounds come from Peter’s throat as he does his best to draw air into his rapidly closing throat. His chest burns, feeling like it had been lit on fire as every breath feels like he’s trying to swallow a pack of nails. </p><p>“Peter!” Tony is by his side in an instant, his hands on Peter’s chest. To Miss Nefaria he growls, “What the hell did you do?”</p><p>“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Is he going to be alright?” the woman asks, sounding slightly concerned although her eyes lack any of the tiny warmth they had held before Peter drank from the glass. When Tony doesn’t respond she continues, “I can only assume someone <em> else </em> here must have been trying to poison you, Anthony. You really should be more careful, or you may find yet more blood on your hands. I do hope young Peter isn't added to the list tonight.”</p><p>Peter can see the fury in Tony’s eyes, and can tell his mentor sees through Miss Nefaria’s bullcrap just like Peter does. He no doubt has a few choice responses in mind to her lies, but instead the man just shakes his head and looks back at Peter—watching with wide eyes as he gasps at the little amounts of air that he could take in. </p><p>“Okay, come on. We’re getting to the tower now,” Tony says, immediately hauling Peter up, slinging an arm over his shoulders. Peter can barely stay standing, his legs feeling like jelly as Tony all but drags him out of an emergency side exit—the crowd murmuring amongst themselves but remaining in their seats. </p><p>Peter feels panic beginning to set in as he grunts in pain. The oxygen he’s taking in is quickly becoming less and less sufficient. </p><p>“I’ve got a suit, it's about a minute out, okay?” Tony says, gently lowering Peter to the sidewalk and resting his back up against a street sign. The man kneels down in front of Peter, placing a hand on the kid’s wrist, checking his pulse. Peter only has to see the grimace on his face to know it’s thready and fast. “How are you feeling?” </p><p>“I-I-I can’t breathe…” Peter chokes out, trying to lift a hand to his throat, only for his arm to fall to his side limply. His body feels as though it’s been lit on fire. Without realizing it, Peter finds his chin resting against his chest, rasping noises raking through him. </p><p>“Mister… Mr. Stark....” Peter whispers, and he wants to say more, he wants to be strong, but it’s all too much. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>How had things gone so wrong so fast, Tony thinks as his hands hover over Peter’s chest and neck, frantically trying to figure out what - if anything - he could do to help. He’s still hovering when Peter’s eyes fall shut.</p><p>“Hey, hey, you’ve got to stay with me for a bit longer, alright?” Tony says, tilting Peter’s chin back and running a hand over his brow. He pulls away with fear racing in his heart. Peter’s burning up, having broken out in a thin layer of sweat just in the minute they’ve been outside. He’s ghastly pale as he slits his eyes open, looking feverish and apologetic as he blinks at Tony. </p><p>“I’m…’m s’rry,” Peter mumbles.</p><p>“None of that, we’ll talk this all through once you aren’t turning blue,” Tony quips just as the glorious sound of his suit fills his ears. “Alright, hang on Pete. Just one second, bud.”</p><p>Tony steps back, letting the suit fall in place around him. The HUD blinks to life, and Tony looks back to Peter. The kid is slumped even further sideways, eyes closed as his chest rises in rapid succession, but only barely. Fear grips Tony like a vise at the sight. “No, no, no. Come on, Peter, not now. Just hang on!” </p><p>Tony picks the kid up easily, making sure he’s in a secure grip. “Fri, get us to the tower now. Have the med team outside waiting on us. Keep Cho up to date on all his vitals - run them up on the screen for me,” Tony instructs as the suit takes off. </p><p>Tony looks down as he flies in the direction of the tower. He’s grown accustomed to seeing Peter hurt. It’s an unfortunate part of the mentoring gig - one of the few parts that didn’t appeal to him. He hates seeing the kid injured and in pain, hates knowing Peter is putting himself in danger every single day. But after the fiasco with Toomes and his plane, Tony had come to realize something vital: whether he was present or not, the kid would be putting himself in harm’s way. At least if Tony was a part of his life, he could ensure the kid always had someone to call with the resources to save him.</p><p>So he’d done just that. He’d promised himself that he would be there whenever Peter needed him. </p><p>But then, over time, something unexpected had happened. Tony had found himself growing to need Peter as well, to the point where these days, he couldn’t imagine a life without the teen around. </p><p>Tony needs Peter too, isn’t afraid anymore to admit it. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself knowing Peter’s death had been a result of ingesting poison that was meant for him.</p><p>Of course, Tony knows logically that he would have been dead in seconds, whereas Peter’s enhancements were fighting hard, the spider mutation doing everything in its power to ensure that Peter lived. Tony doubts he himself would have been alive by the time he hit the floor. </p><p>But that didn’t make it acceptable, didn’t make it <em> okay, </em> and he’d be damned if some old lover’s grudge over the death of her deranged father is what took the kid from him. </p><p>“Boss, his vitals are dropping!” Friday’s voice held a slight tinge of fear, pulling Tony out of his thoughts as he looked down at the flashing vitals on his HUD.</p><p>“We’re almost there, come on Peter,” he says to the kid, who by now was fully unconscious. “We’re almost there. Don’t you dare give up now!” </p><p>The tower comes into view, and Tony could see the med team waiting for them on the landing pad. But Peter’s pulse is already far too low, his blood pressure dropping.</p><p>Right as the suit touches down, the HUD begins to flash red. “Pulse undetected. Pulse undetected. Immediate medical attention is advised.” Tony’s own heart stops as nurses take Peter from his hold, placing the limp kid onto a gurney. </p><p>He watches as Doctor Cho climbs up on the gurney as they rush Peter towards the elevators. </p><p>“Get an ET started. Set up an AED, he’s in cardiac arrest. We’ve got to bring his…” Their voices fade away as the elevator doors close around them, leaving Tony standing alone on the landing pad, the suit unfolding from around his body. </p><p>Tony takes an unsteady breath, bringing a hand up to his brow, desperately trying to rein his thoughts in but finding he can’t. Because Peter was dying, if not already dead. Peter was<em> dying </em> and it was completely out of Tony’s control. And worse, he had nobody but himself to blame.</p><p>Distantly he hears the sound of the elevator opening.</p><p>“Boss,” Happy says, breaking Tony out of his stupor. The man jogs over, placing a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Let’s get you to the medbay. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t look much better than the kid does right now.”</p><p>“You saw him?” </p><p>Happy nods tightly, grimacing. “They were taking him out the elevator just as I was waiting to get in.” More confidently, he adds, “I know it doesn’t look good right now, but he’s gonna be fine. Helen works miracles on a daily basis, remember? And the kid’s stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. He’ll pull through.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Tony agrees, though he doesn’t quite believe it. He’s not sure he will until he sees Peter awake, talking and joking and breathing like normal. “You just—you don’t get it, Hap. It was for me. The poison, it was meant for<em> me.” </em></p><p>Happy grimaces again. “Come on, boss,” he says, guiding him toward the doors and pressing the button. “First thing first—let’s get downstairs. Even if you won’t get checked out, I have a driver on their way with May right now, and I’m sure she’ll want company while we wait for news.”</p><p>Tony doesn’t respond, mind racing with thoughts of Peter, of how pale and still and <em> dead </em>he had looked before the staff had rushed him away. If the kid didn’t make it, if he died… </p><p>“Boss?”</p><p>Tony sighs, forcing himself to swallow down the emotions creeping up his throat. He would have to deal with his guilt later. Because for now, what mattered wasn’t his feelings. </p><p>All that mattered was Peter. </p><p>“Yeah, Hap, let’s go.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Awareness doesn’t happen gradually for Peter. One moment he’s in Tony’s arms, tightness gripping his chest—barely able to take in air despite feeling the wind against his body as they fly through the city, tossing his hair about. The next, he’s opening his eyes to a medbay room ceiling, a ticklish feeling around his mouth and nose that he recognizes immediately is an oxygen mask.</p><p>Peter blinks once, twice, letting everything come into focus before glancing around the room. His gaze lands first on May, who is slumped in an armchair next to him, her hand over one of his own, snoring deeply. She looks unkempt, hair frizzy and dark circles under her eyes, and Peter can tell she probably only fell asleep a little while ago.</p><p>“Kid?” a voice says from his other side, and Peter twists his head to see Tony sitting in an armchair of his own, looking no better than May, a stress ball squeezed tightly in one of his hands.</p><p>“Hi Mr. Stark,” Peter whispers back with a grin, mindful of his sleeping aunt.</p><p>He watches as Tony closes his eyes, taking the longest of breaths in before opening them again and shaking his head at Peter. </p><p>“When Cho finally lets you out of that bed, we’re going to have a very long talk about your stunning lack of self-preservation skills, Pete,” the man says, though there’s no heat to his words. </p><p>“Hey, it worked, didn’t it?” Peter jokes, only for his grin to fall when he sees the way his mentor’s lip trembles slightly. “Mr. Stark?”</p><p>Tony glances up at the ceiling, eyes wet as he says, “You nearly died, underoos. I can’t say that <em> works </em>for me, under any circumstances, but especially when it’s you getting hurt because someone wanted to take me out.”</p><p>“Did they get her then? Miss Nefaria?”</p><p>“So far the police haven’t found even a whiff of proof tying her to it, despite all the circumstantial evidence,” Tony says with a sneer. “Whit’s smart, I’m sure she hid her tracks well. But don’t worry, she’s not gonna get away with this. I won’t let her.”</p><p>“I know you won’t,” Peter replies, then more softly, “I’m sorry.”</p><p>The man’s brow furrows. “For what? Being a dumbass?”</p><p>Peter chuckles. “Yeah, that. But also for scaring you, and… for making you feel like my dumb decision was your fault. Because it wasn’t. If you don’t believe me, just ask May. She loves to remind me <em> all </em> the time that I don’t have any common sense.”</p><p>“Oh, she’s already tried, believe me,” Tony says with a smile, though it looks pained. “But here’s the thing nobody tells you about lo-... about being a mentor to a spiderling, kid: you’re <em> always </em>gonna feel like it’s your fault when they get hurt. That’s just the way it is.”</p><p>Peter’s lips go thin underneath the oxygen mask. He shakes his head, saying, “That’s stupid. It was my choice.”</p><p>“Logically, I know you’re correct,” Tony agrees. “But it doesn’t feel that way. And I’ll be honest with you, Pete—there’s nothing you can do to take that burden away from me anymore. It’s too late. You’ve dug your nerdy, endearing claws into me and now we’re both stuck with the consequences.”</p><p>Peter huffs. “Still dumb.”</p><p>“Well then,” Tony says teasingly, “guess we’ll just both have to accept the other one is a dumbass, won’t we?”</p><p>“I’ll drink to that,” May says, Tony and Peter looking over to see her eyes are open, glancing over them both with a tired smile. To Peter she says, “<em>You</em> however, mister, will not be taking another sip of alcohol until you’re at least forty, poisoned or not.”</p><p>“Fine—the stuff tastes like jet fuel anyway,” Peter mutters petulantly. But he smiles when May grips his hand tight, squeezing back in return. “I’m okay, May.”</p><p>“I know you are, sweetheart,” May says, although her eyes fill with tears all the same. “Just—don’t scare us like that again, okay?”</p><p>Peter nods in affirmation, but mentally he’s crossing his fingers. Because Tony was right—he’s not going to stop being a dumbass to save people, and <em> especially </em> the people he loves. </p><p>As long as they were all safe, Peter thinks he’s perfectly content to live with that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Inspiration for Whitney Frost/Giulietta Nefaria and Maggia Enterprises comes from the 2008 <i>Iron Man</i> video game.</p>
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